USPTO Patents Application 09887334

Amendment under 37 C.F.R. § LI 11
U.S. Application No. 09/887,334

the invention, that is, a photo sensitive layer (so-called an image recording layer) made of a
photo catalyst substance that constitutes the original plate, a heat insulating layer that can be
provided as necessary, and a substrate that carries the above. Next, a description is given of a
plate making and printing method according to the invention, that is, a method for applying a
hydrophobic layer onto the entire surface of an original plate, a method for applying heat onto
the original plate whose entire surface is made hydrophobic and exposing images, a printing
method, and a method for regenerating the printing plate after the printing is completed. Further,
a description is given of a printing press according to the invention.

Page 20, the last paragraph beginning on page 20 and ending on page 21 is amended
as follows:

In addition, since the above described metal and metal oxide must not be excessively
dissolved with respect to a damping solution when being used as a printing plate, the solubility
with respect to water is lOmg or less per water of 100 milliliters, preferably 5mg or less, further
preferably Img.or less.

Page 68, the first full paragraph is amended as follows:

Fig. 6 is one mode of the hydrophobic processing section 2 that gives a hydrophobic layer
of an organic compound, and is structured so that the hydrophobic layer can be provided on the
surface of an original printing plate by condensation from an atmosphere containing a vaporized
organic compound in an organic compound vapor supplying means 29. That is, in Fig. 6, the
organic compound vapor supplying means 29 intakes air through its air inlet 24 and leads the air

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Amendment under 37 C.F.R, § 1.111
U.S. Application No. 09/887,334

to a vaporizing chamber 26, in which a separatory funnel type glass tube having an inner
diameter of 30mm is horizontally arranged, through a cock 25. The vaporizing chamber 26 is
filled with an organic compound 27 (shown with diagonal lines) so that the amount thereof
becomes, for example, 50% in capacity, and a vaporized gas of the organic compound 27 is
taken in by a necessary quantity, while air passes through the inside of the organic compound 27
and on the surface thereof, and it is led onto the surface of the plate cylinder 1.

Page 70, the last full paragraph is amended as follows:

In the embodiment, the hydrophobic processing section 2 accompanies a heating means'""
since it gives a hydrophobic layer by condensation from the gas phase, the hydrophobic
processing section 2 incorporates an irradiation temperature controlling mechanism of the
activation light irradiating section 5. The upper half section of Fig. 6 corresponds to the
irradiation temperature controlling mechanism, and an original plate, onto the surface of which a
hydrophobic layer is given, is heated by the electric heater 31, wherein the heating temperature is
adjusted to an appointed temperature selected in a range from 40 through 200°C by the
temperature sensor 32 disposed in the heating area and the temperature controller 34. Activation
light is irradiated onto the original plate, which is adjusted to the appointed temperature, as per
image by an irradiation apparatus of the activation light irradiating section 5'.

Page 71, the last paragraph beginning on page 71 and ending on page 72 is amended
as follows:

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Amendment under 37 C.F.R. § 1.111
U.S. Application No. 09/887,334

Fig. 3 shows the example, which shows a mode of as-per-image irradiation by a laser
beam carrying image information. An activation light irradiating apparatus 5' (the portion of a
depicting apparatus, excluding a heating device for heating an original plate to an appointed
temperature, of the activation Hght irradiating section 5) of the activation Ught irradiation section
includes a laser beam source 52 for emitting a laser beam 51 and irradiating it onto an original
plate of the plate cylinder 1; and a laser beam source driving section 53, which drives the laser
beam source 52, modulates the laser beam 51 and depicts an image on the original plate on the
plate cylinder 1 on the basis of image signals S that are signalized from an image to be printed in
an edition and layout workstation 54 and inputted into a recording section. The light source 52 is
constructed so that it moves the emitted laser beam 51 relative to the plate cylinder 1 in the
direction of the rotation axis of the plate cylinder 1 and scans the plate cylinder 1. By the
rotation of the plate cylinder 1, and the surface of the plate cylinder 1 is exposed to the
modulated laser beam 51, wherein the portions that are not irradiated by the laser beam 51 on the
surface of the original plate on the plate cylinder 1 are made into hydrophobic image area while
the portions that are irradiated by the laser beam are made into hydrophilic non-imaged areas.
That is, negative type depicting can be carried out.

Page 72, the paragraph beginning on page 72 and ending on page 73 is amended as
follows:

The laser beam 51 has oscillation wavelengths in the ultraviolet zone, visible zone and
near-infrared zone, which are modulated by image information. In the embodiment, a helium
cadmium laser is incorporated, and the laser beam 51 is irradiated directly on the surface of the

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Amendment under 37 C.F.R. § 1.111
U.S. Application No. 09/887,334

plate cylinder. The surface of the original plate that is adjusted to an appointed temperature by
light reaction resulting from the irradiation of the activation light is made hydrophilic. It is
recommended that the laser beam 51 width is 30|Lim, and the energy intensity is lOmW through
low. Generally, it is preferable that the intensity is strong, wherein the irradiation will be
completed in a shorter time in compliance with the intensity.

Page 73, the last paragraph beginning on page 73 and ending on page 74 is amended
as follows: „ «

Although the activation light irradiating section (5 in Fig. 2) includes an activation light
irradiating apparatus 5' for irradiating activation light as per image, and a heating device for
heating and adjusting the original plate temperature to an appointed temperature, there are
several types of heating device. For example, a system for heating an original plate from the
surface thereof as in the heating mode consisting of 31, 32 and 34 in Fig. 6, in which the heating
device is connected to the hydrophobic processing section in view of heat economy, and a
system of radiation heating or contact heating type, in which the heating is enabled from the
substrate side of an original plate, that is, by a heating device attached inside the plate cylinder to
an appointed temperature, may be promptly selected. Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 show the modes thereof.

Page 74, the first full paragraph is amended as follows:

Fig. 4 is a view showing a mode of the activation light irradiating section that carries out
irradiation of activation light while heating an original plate from the inside of the plate cylinder
to an appointed temperature. In Fig. 4, a heating device 58 installed in the plate cylinder is a

5^

A

Amendment under 37 C.F.R. § 1.111
U.S. Application No. 09/887,334

tungsten halogen lamp, wherein an original plate is heated to an appointed temperature by heat
waves. On the other hand, the left half section of Fig. 4 shows the activation light irradiating
apparatus 5', which includes a laser beam source 52 for emitting a laser beam to an original
plate, which is kept on an appointed temperature, as per image; an edition/layout workstation 54
that signalizes image information to be printed, and inputs it into a recording section as an image
signal S; and a laser beam driving section 53 for modulating the laser beam 51 and driving the
laser beam source 52 based on the image signal S. The mechanism and actions of the activation
light irradiation apparatus 5' are the same as described above.

Page 74, the last paragraph beginning on page 74 and ending on page 75 is amended
as follows:

Fig. 5 is a view showing another mode of the activation light irradiating section that
irradiates activation light while heating an original plate from the inside of the plate cylinder to
an appointed temperature. In Fig. 5, a heating device 59 incorporated in the plate cylinder
includes a heater 591 and a heating roller 592 that is heated in contact with the heater 591 and
heats an original plate P via the plate cylinder 1. The original plate is heated to an appointed
temperature by contact heating from the heating roller to the plate cylinder 1 and heat supplied to
the original plate by transmission. On the other hand, the left half section in Fig. 5 is an
activation light irradiation apparatus 5', which is the same as described above.

Page 75, the last paragraph beginning on page 75 and ending on page 76 is amended
as follows:

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Amendment under 37 C.F.R. § 1.111
U.S. Application No. 09/887,334

First, a hydrophobic layer of an organic compound vaporized by the heater 30 in the
vaporizing chamber 26 in the organic compound substance supplying means 29 is given to the
surface of an original plate on the plate cylinder 1, which passes through the hydrophobic
processing section 2 while rotating, and the entire surface of the original plate is uniformly made
ink-receivable. Subsequently, the temperature of the original plate is controlled in a range of the
hydrophobic property generating temperature by the temperature controller section 34, and, upon
receiving the irradiation of activation light, to which an as-per-image distribution is given via an
image mask or is modulated by the image information in the activation light irradiating section
5', an image distribution having a hydrophilic property and a lipophilic property can be obtained,
wherein the areas irradiated by the activation light are made hydrophilic while those not
irradiated by the activation light are made lipophilic. When the irradiation of the activation light
is completed, ink and a damping solution are next supplied to the plate cylinder 1 by the
ink/damping solution supplying section 3. Thereby, ink is retained on lipophilic image areas of
the original plate (printing master plate) on the plate cylinder 1, and a damping solution is
retained on hydrophilic non-imaged areas with no ink retained there.

Page 100, the last paragraph beginning on page 100 and ending on page 101 is
amended as follows:

Fig. 7 is a view showing the construction of an offset printing press according to the third
embodiment of the invention. The offset printing press shown in Fig. 7 is constructed so that the
offset printing presses shown in Fig. 2 are used as four units 1 1 Y, 1 IM, 1 IC and 1 IB that are

Amendment under 37 C.F.R. § 1.111
U.S. Application No. 09/887,334

arranged in series in the main body 12, wherein inks of Y(yellow), M(magenta), C(cyan) and
B(black) are employed in the four units, respectively, to enable color printing.

Page 101, the last paragraph beginning on page 101 and ending on page 102 is
amended as follows:

First, the surface of an original plate that passes through the hydrophobic processing
section 2 is processed to be hydrophobic while causing the plate cylinder 1 to slowly rotate in the
printing units IIY, IIM, IIC and IIB. Since the structure of the hydrophobic processing
section is described in Fig. 6, the description thereof is omitted herein. However, since the
temperature of the heating atmosphere and the temperature of the vaporizing chamber, in the
case where an organic compound is caused to exist, are controlled by the control section (34 in
Fig. 3), the optimal conditions are selected in response to the availability of organic compounds,
type of the organic compound, and type of a thermal response substance on the surface of the
original plate. After the plate cylinders are caused to rotate at a speed at which the original plate
passes with a sufficient time of heating and all the surface of the plate cylinders are processed to
be hydrophobic, the as-per-image irradiation is carried out in a state where the original plate is
heated by the activation light irradiating section 5 with a heating device in Fig. 2, wherein
depiction expressing the respective colors is carried out. And, inks of respective colors Y, M, C,
and B are supplied from the respective ink/damping solution supplying sections of the respective
printing units IIY, IIM, IIC and IIB, wherein the inks and a damping solution are retained on
the plate cylinders 1 of the respective printing units UY, UM, UC and IIB. After that, sheets
of paper are fed as shown by the arrow B in Fig. 7, and inks of the respective printing units 1 1 Y,

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